The Two Newest Electric Cars in South Africa
By EV Cost Calculator Team · Published · Last updated
Two fully electric cars went on sale in South Africa in October 2026, and they could hardly be more different. The Chery Q costs R349,900 and brings the biggest battery in the budget EV class. The Lexus ES 350e costs R1,561,000 and claims up to 615 km of range.
Between them they bracket almost the entire local EV market. Here is what each one actually offers, and where the published specifications disagree with each other.
Chery Q: launched 6 October 2026
The Chery Q is the more consequential of the two for most buyers, because it lands directly in the fight for the cheapest EV in South Africa and brings the largest battery to it.
| Spec | Chery Q |
|---|---|
| Price, Comfort | R349,900 |
| Price, Elite | R389,900 |
| Battery | 42.7 kWh |
| Claimed range | Up to 400 km, NEDC cycle |
| Power and torque | 90 kW and 115 Nm, rear-wheel drive |
| 0 to 100 km/h | 13.5 seconds |
| AC charging | 6.6 kW, about 6.5 hours from 10 to 100 percent |
| Vehicle-to-load | Up to 6.6 kW |
| Vehicle warranty | 5 years or 150,000 km |
| Battery warranty | 10 years or 200,000 km |
| Service plan | 5 years or 100,000 km |
Prices and warranty terms from CAR magazine.
Where the sources disagree. Published DC charging speed is given as 85 kW by AutoTrader and 90 kW by TopGear SA. Top speed is reported as 135 km/h by The Citizen and 140 km/h by Bizcommunity. Claimed range is 400 km in most coverage but 340 km in TopGear's. We have used the figures that appear most consistently and flagged the rest rather than picking silently.
On DC charging, the published figure everyone agrees on is 30 to 80 percent in roughly 16 minutes. No 10 to 80 percent time has been released, which is the number most manufacturers quote, so direct comparison with rivals is not possible yet.
Real-world range. Reviewers landed on roughly 300 km (TopGear SA) to 350 km (The Citizen) rather than the claimed 400 km. The NEDC test cycle is older and more generous than WLTP, so treat the 400 km figure as optimistic.
How the Chery Q compares on price
| Model | Price from | Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Geely E2 Aspire | R339,900 | 39.4 kWh |
| BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort | R341,900 | 30.1 kWh |
| Dongfeng Box E2 430 | R349,000 | not published |
| Chery Q Comfort | R349,900 | 42.7 kWh |
Comparison prices from IOL. The Chery Q is the most expensive of the four by R10,000, and it carries the largest battery by a clear margin. Against the Dolphin Surf Comfort it offers 42 percent more battery capacity for R8,000 more.
The trade-off is pace. At 13.5 seconds to 100 km/h it is the slowest of the group, and Bizcommunity's reviewer noted it may struggle to overtake comfortably at highway speeds. The Citizen was more positive, calling it a market disrupter.
Lexus ES 350e SE: launched 14 October 2026
At the other end, Lexus has brought its first fully electric ES to South Africa.
| Spec | Lexus ES 350e SE |
|---|---|
| Price | R1,561,000 |
| Battery | 74.69 kWh |
| Claimed range | Up to 615 km, NEDC cycle |
| Power and torque | 167 kW and 268 Nm, front-wheel drive |
| DC charging | 0 to 80 percent in about 30 minutes |
| Vehicle warranty and maintenance plan | 7 years or 105,000 km |
| Battery warranty | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Wheels | 21 inch, with adaptive variable suspension |
Specifications from TimesLIVE, with the launch also covered by Bizcommunity.
On that 615 km figure. It is an NEDC number. The same car is rated at 510 km on the stricter WLTP cycle in Australian specification, per CarsGuide Australia. WLTP is the more realistic of the two, and South African highway driving will land below even that. Expect something in the region of 400 km to 450 km at open-road speeds, which is our inference from the WLTP rating rather than a tested figure.
The warranty is genuinely strong. Seven years with a maintenance plan included is longer than most of the premium segment offers, and the 8 year battery warranty is standard practice.
What it costs to run each one
This is where both cars make their case, particularly after petrol crossed R30 a litre inland in October.
| Scenario | Cost per 100 km |
|---|---|
| Chery Q, home charging at R3.30 per kWh and 15 kWh per 100 km | About R50 |
| Chery Q, public DC at R7.35 per kWh | About R110 |
| Lexus ES 350e, home charging at 17 kWh per 100 km | About R56 |
| Petrol hatch at 6.0 litres per 100 km, R30.25 | R181.50 |
| Petrol executive sedan at 8.0 litres per 100 km, R30.25 | R242.00 |
These are our calculations using October 2026 pump prices and the stated consumption assumptions. Home electricity tariffs vary considerably by municipality, so run yours through our EV charging cost calculator.
Which one matters more?
The Lexus is the better car and it is not close. It is also nearly four and a half times the price.
The Chery Q matters more to the South African market, because the fight under R400,000 is where EV adoption actually gets decided here. A 42.7 kWh battery at R349,900 moves the floor on usable range for budget buyers, and a 10 year battery warranty addresses the single biggest anxiety that keeps people out of the segment.
Whether it works for you comes down to charging access. With a home charger and a commute inside 200 km a day, the Chery Q is a serious proposition. Without off-street parking, neither of these cars makes sense yet. Work out your own numbers with our EV versus petrol running cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the newest electric car in South Africa?
The Lexus ES 350e SE, launched on 14 October 2026 at R1,561,000. The Chery Q launched eight days earlier on 6 October 2026, priced from R349,900.
How much does the Chery Q cost in South Africa?
R349,900 for the Comfort and R389,900 for the Elite. It carries a 42.7 kWh battery, the largest in the sub R400,000 electric car class.
What is the range of the Chery Q?
Chery claims up to 400 km on the NEDC cycle. South African reviewers estimated roughly 300 km to 350 km in real conditions, since NEDC is an older and more generous test than WLTP.
How much does the Lexus ES 350e cost in South Africa?
R1,561,000 for the single ES 350e SE derivative. It has a 74.69 kWh battery and a claimed 615 km of NEDC range.
What warranty does the Chery Q come with?
Five years or 150,000 km on the vehicle, ten years or 200,000 km on the battery, and a five year or 100,000 km service plan.